Table top and skirt with foldable legs

ABSTRACT

A foldable table and table legs comprises a tabletop comprising a plurality of tabletop sections each of which are interconnected by a hinge mechanism allowing the tabletop fold into a small, compact package. Detachable and foldable legs are configured for coupling to a table skirt comprising four segments which fold down from a storage pocket on the underside of the tabletop. The foldable legs interconnect with the table skirt once it is folded down from its storage position. The tabletop and foldable legs may all be folded into a compact, portable and packable configuration.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from United States Provisional PatentApplication number 62/449,818 filed on Jan. 24, 2017 and titled “OUTDOOREQUIPMENT 2016”, which is incorporated fully herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to outdoor equipment, outdoor furniture,outdoor camping equipment and parts and fittings therefore, and moreparticularly, relates to a collapsible/foldable table including a uniquefoldable tabletop and foldable legs as well as a method for attachingthe foldable legs to a table skirt. Also included are foldable hingesuseful for foldably connecting together various items and objects.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A large portion of the population enjoy camping and other outdooractivities. When engaged in these activities, however, many people enjoysome of the comforts of home. This includes a table or other surfacewhich can be used to prepare food, serve food or place various objectsincluding Cook stoves and the like for use during outdoor activities.

Although individuals engaged in the activities enjoy such comforts ofhome, weight, space and collapsibility is still an important feature. Ifthe table is not able to be folded and stored in a small area and if itis too heavy, its usefulness will be lost to campers and outdoorenthusiasts. Accordingly, what is needed is a highlycollapsible/foldable lightweight table which can be folded for purposesof packing it to the outdoor area but which can be folded to form amultipurpose, useful table.

SUMMARY

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will bebetter understood by reading the following detailed description, takentogether with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a foldable table according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the table;

FIG. 3 is a top exploded view of the table showing the symmetricalhinges connecting each of the pieces;

FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate how the table folds;

FIG. 5 illustrates the foldable skirt used on the table and Howardstores in a pocket on the underside of the table;

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the tabletop illustrating the different champfor on the corners of the table;

FIG. 7 shows the corners of the table and how the chamfered corners formand allow for access to a finger cut out for carrying purposes;

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the construction and installation of the tablesection hinges;

FIGS. 10 through 12 show an alternative T-link useful in a table orother outdoor equipment according to the present invention;

FIGS. 13 through 16 illustrate the operation of a T-link hinge accordingto one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 17 through 19 are more detailed close-up and cross-sectional viewsof the T link hinge according to the invention;

FIG. 20 is an exploded view of a T link hinge and mounting areaaccording to one feature of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is an exploded view of the T link hinge according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 33 is a side view of the folding table of FIG. 1 illustrating theinterconnection between the foldable legs and the table skirt;

FIG. 34 is a side view illustrating the method of interconnecting thefoldable leg with the table skirt according to one feature of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 35 and 36 illustrate the method of folding the foldable table legsaccording to one feature of the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a more detailed view of the top portion of the foldable legaccording to one feature of the present invention;

FIGS. 38-40 our detailed views indicating the foldable leg according toone feature of the present invention;

FIGS. 41 and 42 illustrate the table skirt with which the foldable legsaccording to the present invention interconnect; and

FIGS. 43-45 illustrate the interconnection between the foldable tableleg and the foldable table skirt according to one feature of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a foldable table 5 according to one aspect of thepresent invention. This feature of the invention includes a foldabletabletop 10, FIG. 2 comprising a number of segments or portions 12 a-12f FIG. 3, each of which are connected together by a hinge 14 a-14 e.Every part is symmetrical which allows the table to fold unto itself,origami style, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4D. The tabletop 10 ispreferably made of a lightweight material such as bamboo, plastic, acomposite material or the like which aids in making the

An additional feature of the invention is the inclusion of a pocket 112,FIG. 5 in the tabletop 10 into which a foldable table skirt 114 foldswhen not in use thus allowing the table top 10 and skirt 114 to becompletely folded as shown in FIG. 4D.

As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 6 and 7, the corners of the tabletophave a different chamfer as shown in FIG. 6. The corners 116 and 118,having the smaller cut or chamfer 117, 119, provide for the inclusion ofa finger cut out region 120 on the other side of the table as shown inFIG. 7. This provides a carrying location for the table.

Each of the sections 12 of the tabletop 10 are coupled together by meansof a hinge mechanism 14. In one embodiment, the hinge mechanism 14 maybe and elongated piano type hinge or elongated live hinge or gear hinge.An example of such an exemplary hinge mechanism is shown in FIGS. 8 and9.

Alternatively, a T-link style hinge 122 as shown in FIGS. 10 through 12may be utilized for the tabletop. In addition, the T-link hinge may beused for other applications as well and is useful in its own right.

As shown in FIGS. 13-16, an exemplary T-link hinge 122 provides a flushmounted hinge between two adjoining members 124, 126 which allows 2adjoining tabletop members 14 to fold directly onto themselves as shownin FIG. 16. This is provided utilizing a flush mounted top hinge memberor region FIGS. 17 and 19 and a flush bottom hinge region FIGS. 18 and19.

In one embodiment, the T-link hinge includes first and second panelmount portions 132, 134, FIG. 20 coupled together by a link portion 136.The first and second panel mount portions 132, 134 fit into grooves 138cut into the portions to be held together (for example the table topportions). A plurality of screws 140 serve to keep the first and secondpanel mount portions 132, 134 coupled together by the link portion 136securely fastened to the two adjoining members 124, 126. This is furtherillustrated in FIG. 21. As stated earlier, the T-link hinge according toone feature of the invention may be utilized along with the foldabletable of the present invention or with any other product that requires afoldable hinge having a flush top and bottom surface.

Another feature of the foldable table according to the present inventionincludes, in yet another embodiment, foldable legs 158, FIG. 38 designedto interconnect with the table skirt. The foldable legs 158 foldlengthwise by virtue of and along fold line 160 as shown in FIGS. 35 and36, as well as width wise along fold line 162 (not shown folded). Thetop portion of the leg 159 includes first and second slots 164 which aredesigned interconnect with the downward folding skirt 151 FIG. 43 of atable 10. The skirt 151 and leg 158 interconnect to create a strongstable table support.

A foldable piece 166, FIG. 37, includes a live hinge 167 which allowsthe foldable piece 166 to fold back against the leg portion 169 andagainst the corner 171 formed by the table skirt as shown in FIG. 34.The opening 168, FIG. 39, allows the user to push against the foldableportion 166 to release the foldable leg from interconnection with thetable skirt. The foldable legs and table skirt are typically made of aplastic type material and may include one or more snaps or protrusionsas shown in FIG. 37 which helps keep the legs in place in positionagainst the table corner 171 and the table skirt. See FIG. 45 forexample. In another embodiment, one or more of the foldable legs and/ortable skirt may be made of a reinforced cardboard material, a compositematerial, metal, wood or any other suitable material.

The table skirt is hinged to the table top using a number of fingerhinges, a live hinge or other similar hinge technology which allows itto drop downward from its storage location inside a cut out region 112in the bottom of the table surface. The foldable legs may be used notonly with the foldable table as described herein but in order to supportany type of device having a vertical corner portion with which thefoldable legs can removably interconnect.

Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art areconsidered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is notto be limited except by the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A foldable tabletop and tabletop supportinglegs comprising: a tabletop comprising a plurality of segments, each ofsaid plurality of segments coupled to an adjacent two of said pluralityof segments by a hinge mechanism, said hinge mechanism configured forallowing one or more of said plurality of segments to fold along saidhinge mechanism onto an adjacent one of said plurality of segments, saidtabletop including a top surface and a bottom surface; a tabletop skirt,said tabletop skirt comprising 4 tabletop skirt sections, said 4tabletop skirt sections configured for folding downward from a storageposition in a recess located in said bottom surface of said tabletop;said 4 tabletop skirt sections forming 4 tabletop skirt corners when insaid folded downward position; and 4 table legs, each of said 4 tablelegs including a vertical fold mechanism and a horizontal foldmechanism, said horizontal fold mechanism configured for allowing said 4table legs to fold in a horizontal direction reducing a non-foldedlength of each of said 4 table legs, and said vertical fold mechanismconfigured for allowing said 4 table legs to fold in a verticaldirection reducing a non-folded width of said table legs.